By Isabelle Cruz, Editorial Intern
Neighbors U.S.A. (NUSA) encourages networking and information-sharing to facilitate the development of partnerships among neighborhood organizations, government and the private sector for the ultimate goal of strengthening every neighborhood. NUSA recognizes these neighborhood communities with the Best Neighborhood Program awards. Out of over 30 programs that entered this year, only the top seven were selected to be finalists, one of them being Monrovia’s Neighborhood Treasures program. Monrovia city staff will make a presentation of the program to the NUSA Board at the upcoming international conference in May at Palm Springs.
MAP has been recognized by NUSA three times in the past for outstanding programming, including: the neighborhood newsletter, the Youth Leadership Academy, and Care for Your Neighbor Program. Neighborhood Treasures program affirms and reinforces the importance and value of Monrovia’s neighborhoods. They do this through the recognizing and celebrating Monrovians that have contributed to the community through public art in their neighborhoods. The community’s reception to the program has been overall positive.
Neighborhood Treasures have become one of Monrovia’s flagship public art initiatives.
During the program’s inaugural year in 2018, the first three treasures were installed recognizing: Colonel Allen Allensworth, humanitarian Kate Wright, and WASP test pilot Bettie Mae Scott.
